


Baggage

by orphan_account



Category: The X-Files, The X-Files RPF, X-Files RPF
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-10-29
Updated: 2014-12-16
Packaged: 2018-02-23 02:58:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,742
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2531546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gillian has just come back from another successful performance of A Streetcar Named Desire, and meets a familiar face in her own home. He needs help more than ever now, and he knows that there's only one person who can give it to him.</p><p>EDIT- used to be called Overmonth Bags but that sucked so hey have a new title.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Slipping into Something More Comfortable

**Author's Note:**

> So this is my first X-Files RPF ever. In fact this is my first RPF, so please go easy on me. I haven't been an X-Phile for a long time yet, and even though I managed to get a tweet off Gillian Anderson last week (!!WHAT!!), I'm still relatively new to the fandom and have not yet caught up on the little things that some hardcore fans may know of. Please enlighten me if so! Anyway, please enjoy this, it was written after I drank quite a lot of peach schnapps, and I have no beta, so excuse the mess. Please send me reviews! I'd love to know what you think of my work. Thank you!! X (Rated Explicit for ~smut~ in later chapters, maybe this chapter, maybe EVERY chapter, I haven't decided yet I just know there will be smut)
> 
> UPDATE: very slight trigger warning for overdose, but nothing too serious

The lighting outside the Young Vic theatre was dim, the dark nights of September seeping through the cloudy sky. It had obviously rained during her performance, as the streets were damp and the air was crisp. Her breath was visible before her, the condensation reminding her of those adolescent drug-fuelled nights that she spent smoking her beloved cigarettes. God did she miss those cigarettes and the solace she found in them. But even she had to admit, that her body was older now, and was less agreeable with things like nicotine and alcohol.

Another performance of Streetcar had gone smoothly, and the audience were, yet again, very pleased with her interpretation of the neurotic and iconic Blanche DuBois. She'd even spent a little time with the fans who had bothered to stay after the show, signing autographs and taking pictures at the theatres box office. But now, all Gillian Anderson could focus on was bed. Curling herself up into a ball under the duvet and hoping for a good nights sleep. She deserved it, all the cast and crew deserved it. 

A few moments passed before a car pulled up in front of her, it's sleek black paint reflecting the dull street lamps towering above the pavement. A man stepped out from the drivers side of the car and walked quickly over to her. "Ms Anderson?" She gave a small nod. "I am here to drive you home." In one swift movement he opened the back door for her, and she slipped quietly inside. 

The ride home was long, with infrequent one-sided conversations contributed by the driver such as "I heard tonight was faultless - yet again." "Your performance as Blanche is brilliant." His compliments did not go unappreciated, and Gillian murmured kind replies after every sentence, although if she was honest with herself, she wasn't altogether there. She stared out the window at the London streets, before she recognised her own. It was nearly midnight before she waved her driver goodbye and walked up the steps to her secluded house. 

She began to fumble in her bag for her keys, but her door opened without her even touching it. _It's alright_ she thought. _Just the babysitter_. She expected to be greeted by her over-enthusiastic teenage neighbour, who was always willing to look after Gillian's little ones, even if it meant cancelling her own plans. _Secret X-Phile_ , she thought, although her babysitter never pried into her personal or professional life and managed to keep a cool and calm exterior whenever they spoke. She liked that, how her neighbours treated her as 'normal'. It reminded her of her family, her beautiful siblings. Sibling. She dismissed that thought as the door widened fully, revealing, instead of a petite teen, a rather tall man, a silhouette against the light of her hallway. Gillian's body stiffened, her mind fearing the worst, her lungs ready to let out a loud scream, her heart ready to race. She was in fight or flight mode.

The man opened his mouth, and out poured velvety comforts after sensing her surprise. "Hey Gilly. Don't worry, it's only me." The voice was familiar, and she could almost see the infamous half-smile that accompanied it.

"David..." The man stepped backward into the hall, enveloping his face in light. He stood a little to the side, motioning Gillian to enter her own home. She moved her hands in the air as if to find words for her next sentence. "Where is... where is Evie?" 

"Who? The babysitter? It's alright, I sent her home, and paid her £30." He moved a hand on her back as she passed by him, closing the door behind them by pushing against it with his back. "I told her she should buy the X-Files box set with it." A grin spread across his face, adorned with fresh stubble. 

"She already has it..." Her voice trailed off as she stared at her surroundings. "What... are you doing here?" She asked, returning her eyes to gaze at the man in her hallway. He looked so foreign and yet so right there. As if he were a visitor of the house, and the master of the house, both at the same time. 

"I went to see Streetcar. Of course it was pretty late notice, so I only managed to get some shitty seats a million miles away from the stage. I wanted to stay, see you at the stage door, but then again, I'm David Duchovny, you're Gillian Anderson, and we mustn't dare be seen together." He said that last part with a hint of sarcastic wonder, shaking his hands around him as if gesturing to an unknown audience standing around him. He ended his little speech with some fitting 'Oooh's and 'Aaah's. Gillian couldn't help but giggle silently. "I went straight here. I mean, I wanted to see you, just not in such a..." He searched for the right word. "Public area." He took a pause before continuing. "I knocked on the door and your babysitter let me in." 

_Babysitter. The kids._ Gillian popped her head round the living room door and scanned the room, expecting to see Oscar and Felix drowning themselves in beer bottles etc. Then she remembered. David was a father himself, he knew how to handle kids. He sensed her next question, and answered it before she could open her mouth. "The boys are fine, asleep upstairs. They were like it before I arrived." 

Finally feeling satisfied with the situation, Gillian allowed herself to relax, slightly slumping a little in her posture. She glanced over at David, who looked a little awkward standing in the corner of the room, regretting his assumption that his unannounced return into her life would be welcome. There were some bags sitting behind him that she didn't recognise, and it took her a moment to realise that they were his bags. This was more than just a fleeting visit after a show. She let out a sigh, and raised her eyebrow in a mock-Scully fashion, something she had found herself doing a lot in recent years. She stretched her arms out as an open invitation for a hug, muttering the words "Come here" in a concerned tone. David almost jumped at the opportunity, rushing into her embrace. Her feet were killing her, but she was glad she kept her heels on as the added height played to her advantage. David was a tall man anyway, and even she was under the average height. Her mind quickly wandered to her beloved 'Gilly box'.

"It's good to see you David." She whispered into his ear as her arms rubbed his back affectionately. She could tell he was not ready to end the contact, but his tight grip on her small body was beginning to suffocate her, emotionally and physically. He let out a small groan as she pushed him away from her and she could feel his body become heavy. She moved her hands up and down his upper arms, finally ending their embrace with light pats on his shoulders. Placing a finger under his chin, she lifted up his head, backing onto the first step of her stairs at the same time, giving her the height advantage for the first time in years. His eyes looked weak and gloomy. She planted a strong kiss on his forehead, a sign of affection that they had adopted from their characters, Mulder and Scully. "Let's go sit down and talk about it, hm?" She captured his hand gently, leading him into the living room.

"Do you want a drink?" His voice was hoarse and dark all of a sudden. She looked at him with surprise, but attempted to hide her immediate concern in her voice.

"I don't think I've ever been offered a drink in my own home before." She laughed. Something sparkled in his eyes because of that laugh, but he would never let Gillian know that. He stood, intently watching her, waiting for her reply. "Glass of red, there's a bottle on the counter. I'll go check on the boys whilst you're in the kitchen." She squeezed his hand reassuringly before heading back into the hallway and up the stairs. 

She went straight to their bedrooms, walking up to their beds and giving them loving kisses on their foreheads, tucking them into their blankets before whispering a sincere "I love you" to both of them on her exit through the door. She turned and stood opposite Piper's room. She had long since moved out, but that did not mean her company was missed any less. She recalled Piper's childhood, how she had literally lived on the X-Files set. How David had been like a second father to her. A single tear dropped from her eye and she wiped it off her cheek abruptly. She never wanted her babies to grow up. She wanted them to stay little and innocent forever. She made a visit to her own room, kicking off her shoes and tearing off the dress she had worn for the evening, opting instead for some silk pyjamas and fluffy slippers. David had seen her in hoodies and sweatpants, so she was sure he wouldn't scrutinise her for this. Even if her slippers had little bunny ears pointing from them. As she made her way back downstairs, she made another glance at his bags. They weren't even overnight bags, they looked like over _month_ bags, if there was such a thing. Her mind flickered to Blanche DuBois, _'Everything I own is in that trunk.'_ The words spun around in her head before she shunned them out. There was no way David could fit all his clothes and his extensive porn magazine collection in those bags, she laughed to herself.

As she walked back into the living room, she witnessed David holding her wine over her lit fireplace, keeping it warm. Just how she liked it. He must have lit the fire before she came home, as it was already roaring, amber flames leaving dancing shadows around the room. He straightened his back at the sound of her entering the room, and a small grin erupted on his face. "Talk about slipping into something more comfortable." They both laughed, and she walked over to him, placing a hand on his back. She nodded at the wine.

"You remembered." She looked back into his eyes, their faces extremely close. Evidently another thing the picked up from Mulder and Scully.

"How could I forget? I ways always making you drinks." He smiled warmly at the memories. Gillian stared at the fire in the middle of the room before making her way towards the sofa. Sitting down with one leg brought up to her chin, the other bent as if she was sitting cross-legged. David was closely following behind her, expertly pouring her a glass whilst walking. Dangerous game she thought, staring at her cream carpet. He passed it to her before slumping down next to her body, pulling himself near her, his arm draped across her lap, and his head resting on her shoulder. There was a moment of silence between the two. She thought about asking him what was wrong, but in all truths, she already knew, and there was no point in beating around the bush.

"I heard about Tea, and the divorce." She stopped momentarily as David's body tightened. Apart from the occasional email, they hadn't spoken about his doomed relationship with the actress, and even then, the conversations were brief and unenlightening. "I knew it was hard for you, finally putting an end to it all." She considered her next words carefully. "I'm proud of you for making that step." 

He let out an angry sigh. "Yeah well all it resulted in was me losing my kids for half their fucking life." She winced at his language. Of course, she cursed herself, she was well known for it. They both were. But behind his words, there was so much spite, it gave them a whole new meaning. Gillian was well aware that David had been given joint custody of his kids. A hand reached out to stroke his cheek. 

"It gave you closure." 

"It doesn't fucking feel like that." He spat the words out with such hatred it stiffened her spine. "Somedays I feel like just walking into the bathroom, opening up the medicine cupboard and taking whatever pills I find in there." She span round to glare at him. And in one quick movement, brought her hand up and slapped him on his cheek with an almighty force. It left his skin reddened and sore, a shocked expression permanently etched onto his face.

"Don't you dare say anything like that to me again." Her body racked with anger, shaking every single one of her limbs, including the hand that was holding her wine, which was spilling all over her beloved carpet. But she didn't care. The carpet could have spontaneously set alight and she would not have given a shit. Her voice rattled as she spoke. "I don't like it when you say things like that." Her glass of wine was practically empty, it's contents mostly soaking into the floorboards by now. Tears built up in her eyes as she continued to speak. "And I never want to hear you say it again." David was taken aback. He sat, staring at her. Staring at this angry demon that had somehow woken next to him. "Understood?" Her cheeks were suddenly wet as her tears started flowing, streaming even, trailing all the way down her front, leaving little saltwater stains on her pyjama shirt. Two hands quickly rushed to her face, cupping her cheeks, his thumbs wiping the tears from underneath her eyes. David struggled to drag her closer to him, but her hands beat at his chest and she moved her legs to his body as if she was prepared to kick. 

"I didn't mean it baby I didn't mean it." His voice was desperate and sincere. He let go of her cheeks only to grab her wrists that were placed in front of her face defensively. "I wouldn't do that to you, I didn't mean it. I'm so sorry baby." The damage had been done, and finally she dropped the remainder of her wine on the floor, the glass following suit. "Ssh. Baby, come here. I'm sorry." Her rebellion persevered, but it faltered slightly, giving him enough time to drag her onto his lap. She was like a screaming child, not wanting to get close to her parent, but seeing them as the only source of comfort. "Ssh baby. Be quiet." His voice was so soothing in comparison to his earlier remarks. Moving one of his hands to her thigh, he held her in place while the other brushed her hair out of her face, and tucked it behind her ear. She muffled her cries into his neck, as her arms finished battling his embrace and found themselves wrapped around his neck. Her whole body was quaking with anger, fear, sadness. 

"Please don't ever do that to me." He heard her whimper into his skin. His own neck beginning to drown in her soft tears.

"I wouldn't ever do that to anyone, especially you. I'm so sorry baby I shouldn't have said that. I was angry and I didn't mean it. Ssh baby it's all alright." His voice trailed off as he repeated the same words over and over. Her cries became sniffs as she regained a less visibly emotional state of mind. He looked into her wet eyes and smiled. "You have such beautiful eyes." His fingers traced down her neck to her shoulders and finally down her arms to her palms, where he set them down gently, occasionally intertwining her fingers with his own. "Don't you cry now baby. You dry your eyes, and let those eyes sparkle and shine for me." Her breaths shivered nervously as she calmed herself down, her face so dangerously close to his. His hand squeezed hers, and she squeezed back. Pressing her forehead against his, she listened to the sound of her own heartbeat, drumming erratically in her chest. She wasn't sure if it was her anger or their sudden closeness that was the sole cause. Maybe a combination of the two. 

She could feel his hot, sweet breath on her skin, he was so close. He thought about closing the gap between them, pushing their mouths together and kissing her until her lips were red and swollen, but thought better of it. Instead, he slipped a hand underneath her back, and pushed down on her with his chest, forcing her to lie down. Her breathing was still uneven, and her chest lifted with every breath. "Ssh." He nuzzled his face into her neck and held it there for a while, pleading with her to calm down. His free hand found it's way down her stomach, and under the flimsy fabric of her shirt. His hand lay just above her hip. It was not too high or too low to have seemed promiscuous, or dirty. It was just right. It gave them the physical contact that they yearned for. He lifted his head once more and kissed her forehead where tiny beads of sweat were forming on her pale skin. She was still angry, and had bones to pick with him, but for now she could not gather the energy. She was ready to sleep before David arrived, and her episode had only worsened the situation. Her arms lay by her side, not attempting to move. 

David lay partially on top of her, but mostly lay on the sofa, so Gillian could breathe a little easier. His lips stayed firmly pressed against the tight, but silky skin of her forehead. The kiss had long ended but the contact remained. It took a while for him to reposition himself. Her eyes were weary, but they stared at him through half shutting eyelids. He watched back. Her eyes were clouded and dark, he hadn't seen them like it for a long time, maybe 20 years. The last time was when she had run into his hotel room from the rain, her clothes sticking to her slim body, and the embrace that they had shared left them both speechless for days. He never forgot those days, the days where they were both single and carefree, where they could have spare keys to each other's apartments, and sneak in and out, performing beautiful, yet illicit acts together. Then everything got complicated, rushed. They didn't have time for each other anymore, and instead of whispering sweet nothings into each other's ears between takes, they simply rehearsed the lines for Mulder and Scully. It had been such a long time. He wanted her so badly. 

His hand moved a little higher under her shirt, his fingertips softly grazing the space beneath her breast. A small moan escaped from her lips as she shifted her body to be directly underneath his. The feeling of his hot body above her was one she had missed dearly. His hand under her shirt remained deadly still as she propped herself up against the arm of the sofa, her own hands tracing his shoulders, trailing down his arm. Their breaths were fast, and perfectly in sync. The studied each others faces for a few moments before he brought his hand up and clutched at her breast. A loud gasp filled the room as Gillian bucked herself into him, already feeling the length and heat that hid underneath his jeans. She began to squirm, enjoying the feel of his erection pushing against her thigh. Her hands moved from her sides and clutched at his waist, attempting to pull herself up to a position that made it easier for her to make contact with him. Easier for them to grind the anger away. Their mouths were closer than ever, the water vapour in their breaths condensing on each other's lips. She tilted her head back slightly, inviting him inside. _Please accept the invitation_ she mentally begged. David had no time to RSVP before they both heard a tiny voice from behind them. 

"Mum?" _Felix._ Gillian immediately slipped out from underneath David and went over to her youngest son. She got down onto her knees in order to be level with him and placed her hands on his shoulders. "I couldn't sleep." A pang of guilt spread across her face that only David could recognise, Felix was too young to understand complicated emotions like that. 

"I'm sorry sweetie. That was my fault." She straightened his hair slightly and proceeded to hold onto his arms. He was wearing the rocket ship pyjamas that Mark had bought him for his last birthday. _Poor Felix, he must be so confused,_ she pondered.

"Mum are you crying? Are you okay?" She nodded in return and pinched his cheek sweetly.

"It's nothing for you to worry about. I'm alright now." She took a moment to look at her son before returning to the matter in hand. "C'mon you. Let's get you back to bed okay?" David had clambered onto his feet, waving Felix goodnight. "Say goodnight to David, hm?" Felix muttered something that sounded vaguely like goodnight before being led upstairs by his mother. The sound of her walking upstairs was shortly followed by the sound of her walking downstairs and reaching the entrance of the living room. David straightened his back as she appeared. "You'll be alright sleeping on the couch tonight?" She stared at the stain on the floor, and hoped that waiting until morning wouldn't make it anymore of a bitch to clean, although she knew it would. 

"I'd much rather sleep next to you tonight." His voice was plain and matter-of-fact. He moved closer to her, pulling her towards him with his hands wrapped around her tiny waist. Because of his height, all he could do was kiss her top hairline without craning his neck down to her lips. "I miss being able to wake up next to you." His hands caressed her stomach, her silence making his movements uncertain and self conscious. He could tell by the way she opened her mouth and paused that he wasn't going to like, or agree, with what she was about to say. 

"I'd rather you slept down here tonight. For me." She added that last part after seeing the distressed look on his face. He knew deep down that she needed time to think. That they both needed it. And that his actions were inexcusable, but he couldn't help but feel disappointed by her open rejection. Regardless, he didn't protest, or plead further. He accepted and understood her decision with grace and respect. He moved swiftly over to his bed for the night and pulled down the throw that hung over the back. He looked back at her in the doorway, hoping for a sign of her reconsidering, but all he saw was her mouth open and spill out a solemn "Goodnight" as she closed the door. He returned the curtesy although he knew she wouldn't be able to hear him, as his voice had been reduced to a whisper, and she was already half way up the stairs. 

Once upstairs she checked on the boys for a final time, Felix had already fallen fast asleep again. _Bless._ Retreating to her own bedroom, Gillian clambered into bed, spreading her covers around her and yawning. She thought about David down there, how it was cruel to keep him so far away when he had done his best to apologise. She wished that there was a part inside of them that made their relationship anything other than complicated. She wished she'd have kissed him goodnight. She wished she'd held him closer. These small things were the last things she thought of before she finally drifted off into a deep sleep.


	2. Old (and New) Stains

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Apparently if you say smut really slowly it sounds like this chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was hoping to make this chapter a bit shorter than the first. I failed. Sorry. Thanks to the great commenters so far! Please kudos and comment. Also, if you have any suggestions, feel free to let me know. I quite like working with prompts. Thank you and enjoy! X

The loud roar of her alarm clock was the only thing that could have woken Gillian up from her deep slumber. She glanced at the clock with pure disgust as it read '6:30' in glaring red numerals before bringing her hand to the button at the top of the machine to silence it. She let a small groan out as she gathered her strength to pull herself out of bed, walking straight into her bathroom. Her days were long, filled with rehearsals or interviews, which meant she had to start early. She didn't really need to wake up for at least another hour, but she preferred to be wake before her children, to have some quiet alone time whilst they lay asleep in bed. She was brushing her teeth when she remembered that it wouldn't quite be alone time. David was still downstairs, probably slipping off the sofa. She looked at herself in the mirror and all she saw was wrinkles. Gone were the days where her skin was soft and tight, and moisturiser was one of those things that older women clung to in their forties. She laughed at herself as she reached for her own jar, lathering her face with it in some insane hope that it actually did what it said on the label.

Still wearing her pyjamas, she made her way downstairs where she was faced with a sleeping David Duchovny, his arm hanging off the sofa and his legs sprayed out in such a manner that it looked impossible to be comfy. Her eyes drifted over his still body. He was still in good shape for his age, and his stubble had just a hint of grey in it. The fireplace still had a few dying umber nestled in around the ash. He must have been awake a while after she had retired to bed. It wasn't long before she realised why. The stain where she'd dropped her wine had vanished completely. You wouldn't have even guessed that there had been a stain there it was so spotless. He'd slept in his t-shirt, but had left his jeans on the floor in a pile. She walked over calmly and folded them into a neat square, before setting them down on a nearby table. She hoped to god he had underwear on. Kneeling beside his head, she let her hand stroke his cheek. He stirred slightly and turned his head to face her. She was so beautiful. He looked at her before him and all he saw was pure beauty. He made a mental note to remind her of that later. 

"Hey." His voice was still sleepy, and his eyes weren't fully alert.

"Hey yourself." She kept her voice quiet and soft. It was just for him, and no other prying ears. They exchanged smiles as his hand moved to capture hers gently, still holding it against his cheek. There were so many words shared between the two in that sweet, small moment, although no sound was made. Anything they said was said with their eyes. She bent in a little closer, and brushed her lips against his. He'd been in her house for hours and it surprised her how they hadn't kissed yet. The kiss was brief, but necessary. She knew there'd be more of where that came from later. She reluctantly pulled back from their short embrace, pressing her forehead against his, her fingers drawing lazy circles on his chest. "Thank you for getting rid of the stain."

"It was the least I could do." His eyes searched hers for forgiveness. "About last night, I truly am sorry, I just was angry and-" The sentence was finished prematurely, as their lips met once more. The kiss was deeper this time, their lips slightly parted. Her fingers brushed through his thick hair, as his traced her spine up and down.

"I'm the one who should be apologising. I snapped at you when you needed me most. I shouldn't have scolded you, I should have comforted you." She lowered her head a little in shame. "And I'm sorry for slapping you." David sat up at this point and took her head in his hands.

"Don't be sorry for something that I obviously needed." He grinned, bearing all his teeth, and she couldn't help but press their lips together one final time. She waited for him to open his mouth, so that she could explore. Each time their tongues brushed against each other it sent shivers of electrical energy through every limb. David tangled his hands in Gillian's hair as their kiss deepened and deepened, becoming more and more passionate as every second passed. His hands trailed down her back and he grasped onto her hips, pulling her up and onto his lap. Her legs fell in such a fashion that she was practically straddling him. Her hands grabbed his arms as the grip on her hips tightened. The kiss was long, and they devoted all their energy to it. He hands grasping her hips moved her forward slightly, over his hardening crotch, drawing out a quiet moan from her sweet, swollen lips. Then he pushed her back to her original position. Without needing to be prompted, she repeated his actions of her own accord, lingering over his heat before sliding back. Their bodies gained a sensual rhythm of rocking back and forth, taking their time to pleasure one another. He began to move his hips to meet hers in the middle, earning gasps from both parties. "Gilly..." His voice was desperate and his words were cut in half by the feeling of their bodies crashing together.

Her hands moved from his arms to her own pyjama shirt, carefully undoing the buttons. "No no no." His voice still broken by his arousal. "Let me. Gilly let me." His hands collided with hers, fumbling at her buttons. She held sweetly on his arms, motioning for him to slow down. They were in no rush. The kids wouldn't have to be awake for another 20 minutes. Finally he succeeded in removing her shirt to the floor. She watched the silky material drift to the ground and looked back at him.

"You just have to make a mess don't you?" Taking his bottom lip between her teeth, she bit down gently, starting a new kiss that was just as fierce as the one before. She lifted her hips slightly so that he could begin to tug her pyjama bottoms to her ankles, having to rest suspended on her knees in order for them to be removed completely. And there she sat, in just black underwear, on top of his heaving body. She trailed wet, warm kisses down his neck before ripping his own clothes off him and throwing them away. "We won't be needing that." His hands cupped her breasts as she regained their rhythm with more force than before. She could feel her inner thighs become wet and sticky with her arousal, and a hard lump underneath her. God she wanted those boxers on the floor with the rest of their clothes.

David took her nipple I'm between his lips and sucked softly, eliciting quiet groans of pleasure from Gillian's sore lips. With one breast captured by his mouth, the other was entertained by his hand. He rolled her nipple in between his thumb and forefinger, squeezing each time their sexes crossed paths. "God Gilly you have no idea what you do to me..." His free hand snaked it's way down her toned stomach to the top of her pants. He could already feel that they were thoroughly soaked. Quickly slipping his hand underneath the wet fabric, he pushed a finger into her heat. Moans of encouragement slipped from her mouth, as she grasped David's hand to her breast.

"And you-" She needed a while to regain consciousness after every thrust of his finger. "-have no idea what... what... do to me." She pushed the words out, struggling to form a coherent sentence. He removed his finger from her folds, evoking a disappointed sigh from Gillian, only for her to be filled by two fingers, and then three. His thumb rolling circles around her swollen clit, his fingers mercilessly pushed into her. "Daaaavid." His name was long and drawn out. She savoured the sound of his name on her lips. She was on the edge of breaking, and could feel her walls tighten around his slender fingers. With every thrust, her hips bucked into him with equal force. All the while his tongue wrapped itself around her nipples, giving each one the exact same treatment. Pinching and pulling, nibbling and licking and sucking. "David I'm so close. I'm so so close." Her words formed through gritted teeth, her whole body shaking with pleasure. "I want you inside me when I come." She panted loudly, if he carried on for even one more second, she knew she was going to burst. 

He didn't have to be asked twice. Pulling his fingers out from inside her, she felt weak from the sudden lack of fullness. He lifted her slightly higher, resting on her own knees rather than his body, and began to tug off his own tight boxers, where his length had practically set up camp. Her hands that had been roughly guiding themselves through his hair found themselves stroking up and down the length of his cock. She rubbed the tip with her thumb for a while. She remembered what he liked. His hands found their way into her hair again, pulling lightly. She quickly clambered off the sofa. She knew that if she stood any chance of having penetrative sex for longer than a minute without coming, she'd need to have a small cooling off period; and she knew just the thing. She squeezed the base of his cock, moving her tight grip up and down in slow agonising strokes. She finally knelt down on her soft carpet before him, and took his tip into her mouth. Still moving her hand up his shaft, her tongue flicked on his tip, leading him to hiss through gritted teeth. This whole silent sex was as difficult as it was arousing. Soon, her whole mouth was full of him. She moved her lips up and down, quickly and slowly, the pressure in her mouth building. She was sure the wetness from her thighs was dripping down to the floor, leaving yet another lovely stain to clean. His hands pushed her head down further, until his cock hit the back of her throat. He lingered for a while, before dramatically pulling out, leaving her to gasp for air. It wasn't long before he filled her again, executing the same, agonisingly slow assault on her mouth. He whispered her name so quiet that even she couldn't hear him. 

"Hm that's enough baby." His hands pulled at her hair, lifting her head off his cock. Her hands were still squeezing tightly and she resumed her straddling position. He gave her another deep kiss, exploring every bit of her mouth with his tongue. She looked down at his wet, hard cock, and smiled. She knew what was coming next. She guided his length towards her entrance. He brushed away her hand, and replaced it with his own, teasing her by rubbing his tip against the folds of her heat. She tore off her pants, leaving them in a heap, waiting for him with eager eyes. With a quick glance at each other, she lowered herself onto him, evoking a strangled cry. His cock completely filled her, and sent shivers down her spine. The electricity of him bing inside her was enormous. They were both throbbing as she moved her whole body up and down his shaft, taking him fully inside her. With each thrust, his cock met her cervix with a deafening cry that she had attempted to muffle into his neck. Biting her bottom lip, she sped up the pace, getting used to his size. 

"Hm oh god David." His hips began to twitch as he met her half way, a hand rushing to her clit and rubbing it, whilst his cock plummeted inside of her. His grunts were sharp and rich, just like his thrusts. She could feel her orgasm building once more, she was just about to blow when he pulled out suddenly, and threw her onto her back on the sofa. It was pure torture. She wanted to come, she needed to come. Moans of pleasure yet agony escaped her pursed lips. "Fuck me David." She stared at him, her limbs spread eagle. "Fuck. Me." Without any other pleading, he plunged back into her, his hand covering her mouth to prevent the scream that undoubtedly would have followed.

"Come for me." He pleaded as his fingers grasped onto her breasts. Even he could feel his own release coming. He'd always prided his self on his staying power, although now all he could think of was blowing his load. "Come for me." She whimpered uncontrollably as his fingers pinched her nipple. His thrusts were erratic and deep, shocking her, physically moving her across the sofa. "Baby, **come**." His last word was emphasised with a powerful thrust of his cock, and an extra strong squeeze of her left nipple. Her orgasm surprised her with its force. It burned her very core as she shivered throughout its cycles. David fucked her through her shock waves, finding his own climax not long after hers, thrusting in short and sharp. 

Their breathing was all over the place, and their hot sweaty bodies lay tangled and in a mess on the sofa. He was still inside of her, growing limp. Her hands were grasped onto his back, making small crescent indentations into his skin. When he decided it was time to exit her body, her hands made a grab for him at some attempt to keep in close contact with him. He bent over and kissed her on the forehead. 

His breathing still uneven, it took him a while to say his next words. "You're so beautiful." His breath was hot and heavy on her skin, and she could feel the space in between her thighs growing sticky. "I missed you." His hands explored her glowing skin. Kissing her radiant skin above her collarbones, she continued to whisper sweet nothings into his ear. He needed this. He needed her. 

He was just about to pull the covers over them both and sleep for a few more minutes when Gillian wearily stood up from the sofa, her legs still shaking from their morning adventures. He took this opportunity to stare at her perfect naked form. He even managed to give her ass a cheeky slap, which caused her to cry out in surprise. Maybe she was still too sensitive. He soothed her pain by kissing the offended area and rubbing it with his palm. She picked up her discarded clothes from the floor around her whilst he continued his treatment on her sore cheek. His fingers moved up her inner thigh, teasing the skin around her folds as she bent over. She grabbed his wrists with a fair amount of force and lowered them to his own body. She was right, really. Their time together had been generous, and they were both very lucky that the children had not bothered to walk downstairs.  
She turned around, her cheeks flushed and her lips red. "Thank you" she whispered into his ear, before planting a final kiss on his lips, before rushing upstairs into the shower. He thought about joining her, sneaking up behind her and guiding his cock into her tight folds once more, but he knew she had a timetable to fit into. He'd be able to give her that treatment some other time, and he smiled thinking what he could do to her. He too gathered up his belongings, including his jeans, and trudged to a nearby bathroom where he could freshen up. He brushed his teeth, and did as much as he could with his hair, before donning a fresh shirt and his jeans from the previous night. He knew he needed a shower, but it could wait. 

As he exited the bathroom he was greeted with an inquisitive 6 year old. "Hey Felix!" His smile was returned from Gillian's son, who'd skyped David many times, and heard many funny stories about him from his mother. 

"Heya David. What are you doing here?" He still had his pyjamas on, and despite his lively tone of voice, his half-shut eyes betrayed him.

"Just visiting your Mom." He rustled his hair like any older man should do to a young boy, before walking through the light corridor towards the stairs. Gillian was walking down them, closely followed by an even sleepier Oscar. Her hair was wet, and she was wrapped in a robe. He gave her a sly wink whilst Oscar was yawning. She raised her eyebrow in return before turning full mother.

"Right you two, get your cereal eaten quickly else you're going to be late for school! I let you sleep in today, so we have to be ultra fast!" She stared at Oscar who was rubbing his hands into his eyes. "C'mon chop chop!" She felt like Mary Poppins and half expected the rodent population of London to start chirping at her from her window. She turned to David and spoke quietly "Please tell me you have to do this with yours."

He nodded. "Everyday I have 'em." _Ouch._ She'd completely forgotten that he didn't see the kids every morning. She placed a warming hand onto his own and squeezed gently. He looked intently in her eyes for a moment before speaking again. "How about I take the kids to school today, you just relax for a while longer. So you feel less rushed." She thought about it for a while before giving him a quick kiss and a happy nod of her head.

"Uncle David's going to take you to school today so you better be on your best behaviour!" Immediately the sound of cutlery smashing against bowls filled the house as they desperately attempted to finish their breakfast by chugging it down their throat, and their morning routine turned into a competition of 'Who could get up the stairs first?'. "They really admire you, y'know. There's not a thing you could do wrong in their eyes."

"And what about yours?" She narrowed her eyes as a reply but tangled her fingers with his. They both erupted in small fits of laughter. 

"Go on. Put your feet up, do your hair nice. I'll take care of them now." She accepted his invitation to relax by walking back into her living room. Even just seeing the sofa gave her an electric shock. David hurriedly followed the boys up the stairs, chanting some form of prehistoric dinosaur roar at them. 

_If only every morning could be like this._


	3. Honeylamb

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok first of all, I apologise for this taking so long for me to write, and even as I publish this now, I am aware that it is a good 1000 words short of what I normally would write in a chapter. I started this whilst on a break from work, and sadly I'm now back at work, so I have higher priorities than fanfiction (sadly)
> 
> Thank you so much to everyone who has left kudos on this or commented! (Especially to bigboss1088 who has literally been the sole motivation behind finishing this chapter).
> 
> Please enjoy this chapter!

David returned from Oscar and Felix's school just as Gillian was putting on her coat in the hallway. He sighed reluctantly, no thank you sex for me then. Still, he was glad just to be near her. He walked towards her, holding her bent arms and caressing her elbows. His head lowered so he could kiss her before she left. He wanted to stay like that for eternity, their lips pressed together in silent passion, their hands on each other's arms. It felt so... right. He was soon kicked out of his dream state by the sound of someone knocking on her front door. 

"My driver's here." She whispered into his neck, giving him small kisses around his jawline. "I have to go. Blanche DuBois is calling." He gave a small laugh before returning to her lips once more.

"Have a good day Gilly." She looked back at him and smiled before opening the door. He was something to behold, and whilst she stepped outside, Gillian wondered what she'd done in her previous life to deserve him. David was always a constant in her life. Wherever she went in the world, and whoever with, she always knew that he was there for her. It calmed her knowing that there was someone out there who gave a damn about her. She paused before closing the door, her eyes still intently observing his perfect body.

"I have a lunch break, one till half two. How about you brave the tube and we'll go get something together? Just the two of us." Her voice was a little shakey, as the events of the morning still racked her brains. They had a lot to talk about, and she decided that the sooner they talked, the better. 

"That sounds great babe. I'll be at the theatre at 1 then, hm?" Babe. She secretly loved it when he called her babe. It was a name that they both used jokingly for each other, but her stomach fluttered when he addressed her with it. It rolled off his tongue so easily, it wasn't a forced word. She was his babe. However, she furrowed her eyebrows and screwed her lips together tight at the sound of it. She wasn't going to let him in on those secrets just yet. She ended her pained expression with a quick wink before shutting the door. David could just about hear the clink of her heels as she walked down the steps towards her car, the sound fading as she moved away.

The car had only just pulled off the pavement before David got to work. He rummaged through his bags, which were now placed in Gillian's bedroom, and sought out his beloved razor, aftershave, dress shirts. The whole lot, spread out on the floor as he tried to work out what he should wear, what he should look like or smell like. He remembered an interview he'd watched of Gillian on one lonely LA night, she said she hadn't been on a date for a while. Their lunch together was like a date, right? Even though he hadn't asked her, she'd posed the question to him. He silently scolded himself for being so shy towards their relationship, if only he took the wheel sometimes, they could have been in a completely different situation. All those years ago, when he wanted her so badly but never acted upon it. He wondered what life would be like now if he had listened to the little red devil on his right shoulder. They could have been married, Oscar and Felix, they could have been his. It was a thought that shocked David, the idea of marrying Gillian intrigued him, but scared him. They were close, but were they that close? He couldn't know for sure.

Picking up his razor and shaving cream, he sprinted into the bathroom. He stood there for what seemed ages, meticulously removing every hair on his face and neck. Just for her. He knew that Gillian found him attractive regardless of his facial hair, but he always had a suspicion that she preferred a clean shave. Anyway, he always thought it looked smarter on him, as stubble sometimes made him look like a literal American couch potato who'd walk around in sweatpants with a can of beer and a white stained tank top. The blades sliced so closely to his skin, he begged for them to not cut him. He couldn't think of anything worse than going out with her for lunch, with little bits of paper stuck all over his face. After finally being satisfied with his lack of facial hair, he ditched his clothes and climbed into the shower, turning the heat of the water down. His body was still slightly sticky from the morning. The thought of Gillian lying on that sofa with him, completely naked, and so aroused her eyes had turned dark, made him clutch at his ever growing length, shamelessly finding his own release whilst the cold water poured around him.

He looked at the clock, it was only 9:30. He had 3 hours in order to get dressed, yet he was still so stressed. He just wanted to impress her so badly. She worked so hard all day, every day, she deserved something special from him. If that meant shaving and picking out a nice outfit for her then he would more than oblige. David slumped down against the bed, his hair still wet from the shower. Small droplets of water slipped down his skin and a smile crept across his face. He had an idea.

~~~

It was 1 o'clock exactly when David arrived outside the Young Vic in Gillian's car. He had stepped outside and casually leant against the car door, waiting for her to emerge from the building. Small footsteps carried their way across the corridor inside, leaking out near to where he stood. He could recognise the sound of those small legs anywhere. She exited to building with a beautiful smile on her face, she looked the same as she did in the morning, dressed in tight black jeans and a loose top, but she'd taken the time to apply some makeup, and her hair had turned slightly curly from the day's adventures. She stood right in front of him, her arms dangling by the side of her, taking him all in. He was wearing a blue dress shirt which wasn't buttoned up the whole way, with black trousers. He'd shaved, and his hair looked more orderly, just like it was when they first met 20 years ago. She wanted to run her fingers through it and mess it up a little, but didn't want to hurt his feelings. She'd come to love the rugged look on David, yet she appreciated him making the effort to look good for her.

"I thought I told you to brave the tube." Gillian remarked, nodding at her car that had been, in essence, stolen from her garage.

He laughed as his reply, scraping his foot in front of his body, staring at it shyly before looking back up at her. "Shall we leave for lunch Miss Anderson?" He outstretched an arm towards her, and she accepted it, closing her hand around his wrist. Just the mere touch of his skin made her knees feel wobbly, and she was glad she could temporarily support her weight on him. 

"That would be very nice Mr Duchovny." She replied back cutely, her English accent had been tainted slightly with a Southern American tang. He was scared that by having their lunch in between rehearsals, he would have effectively been having lunch with Blanche Du Bois, as he knew how Gillian would try to stay loosely in character even when the cameras weren't rolling. Her polite, calm exterior soon broke out into an eruption of laughter, her small frame bending over at how silly they sounded. David moved a hand to stroke her jaw, and her laughs soon dimmed, as he leant in for a sweet, short kiss.

In his best Southern accent, he said "C'mon then honeylamb. Get in the car." He moved swiftly to the passenger door, opening it for her and waiting until she was inside and belting herself in until he closed it. He sat himself in the drivers seat, still a little weary about the sudden switch. He was so used to driving in America, on the right, and now he was on the left. 

"Do you want me to drive?" A hand reached over and stroked his affectionately.

"Are you sure your little legs can reach the pedals?" He smirked at her, withdrawing his hand to undo the handbrake and pull off the curb. Gillian could tell that he was trying to relax into driving, so left him alone to concentrate for the first few minutes. His eyes kept firmly on the road ahead, only drifting to check his mirrors occasionally. They sat in silence, but it wasn't an awkward silence, it was comforting. Finally feeling at peace with the road, David snuck his hand onto Gillian's leg, wishing she was wearing a skirt so his hand could drift upwards along her inner thigh. But for now, it kept a tight grasp on her thigh. She looked over at him and smiled.

"Where are you taking me?" 

His head turned to face her and he gave her leg a quick squeeze. "It's a surprise." His gaze returned to the road, as he sped through the streets of London. They had been travelling for around 10 minutes before David slowly came to a halt. Silently moving out of the drivers seat, he moved over to Gillian's side of the car, opening her door for her and offering a hand as she stepped outside. It took a while for her to study her surroundings.

Before her stood an old, maybe even derelict, building. Three stories high, it was easy to have imagine that in its prime, this house would have been beautiful, full of life and love. It had ornate carvings in the corner of the door and window frames, slightly faded by the decades of British weather. The front entrance was had been painted black many years ago, and the paint had started to crack and fall away, leaving a deep green coat hidden underneath. The stones were a subdued ochre, the colour diminished slightly from its former glory. Two striking white columns stood tall at the top of a flight of steps, holding up a small balcony from one of the first story windows. The house itself was not isolated, a quick glance behind them would have revealed many shiny new buildings, their white plaster walls contrasting against the pained bricks of the old house. But the property before them was at the end of the road, tucked away by a mass of trees nearby, their burning red leaves scattering all over the pavement. 

A warm hand on the small of her back brought Gillian back to reality, as she turned to face a smiling David, who was also admiring the delicate architecture. His eyes drifted to meet hers, and they took a moment to watch each other intently.

"Do you like it?" His voice was as quiet as a whisper, not wanting the break the beautiful silence that surrounded them, the only recognisable sounds were that of the soft rustling of leaves on the ground, and the ever so distant voice of traffic.

"David, I..." Her voice was swept away with the wind, and she stood in front of him, her mouth open, trying to find the right words. She laughed slightly, as she looked to the ground and shuffled her feet. Moving towards the steps, she let her hands caress the peeling paint of the columns, and traced the grooves of the old bricks with her fingertips. Staring at the door, she finally finished her answer, her voice a little firmer, but still matching David's earlier volume.

"I want to see what's inside."


	4. Salmon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who couldn't leave you guys with a measly small chapter with hardly any cute bits in? This girl. So I hope you appreciate that literally wrote this chapter straight after publishing the last one. Who are the luckiest readers ever?!
> 
> Thanks for reading guys, your comments and kudos make my day! X

The interior of the house mirrored that of the exterior, with worn down floorboards, and peeling wallpaper decorating the walls. Gillian made quiet footsteps down the corridor as she explored each room. The living room had an exquisite fireplace in the centre of one wall, although it looked as if it hadn't been used for decades. The little furniture that stood was covered by greying, ripped cloth, and she was sure she could make out a clock in the corner of one room. David stood in the doorway, watching her with a smile on his face as she tentatively poked her head round each corner, observing every last detail. After having made a satisfactory job of examining her environment, Gillian made her way back to David. 

She shrank into his body, her arms wrapped around his back tightly as her head rested on his chest. Looking up at him, she waited for his eyes to wander down at her. Her arms moved from his back, tracing their way up his chest to his shoulders, and then down his arms to his hands, where she tangled their fingers together and squeezed. Pressing their lips together, she allowed herself to be transported to another world briefly. The musky scent of the old house comforted her, and David's warm embrace helped her relax. Breaking their kiss, her head went back to lying on his chest, as they gently swayed. His gaze moved up the stairs, eliciting Gillian's next question.

"What did you do upstairs?" Her mouth curved into an inquisitive smile, as she tore away from his touch and raced upstairs. She reminded him of a child at Christmas, her blonde hair floating in the space around her as bounded up the stairs. He shortly followed, careful not to break his cool, calm exterior, although he eagerly wanted to see her smile and hear her nervous giggles. As he reached the top of the stairs, he was greeted with the pleasure of watching Gillian stride from room to room, searching each for a clue of David's plans. To her dismay, each room she surveyed was as lifeless as the one before, with maybe an old melted candle in the corner if she was lucky. An exaggerated, playful pout spread across her lips, but soon disappeared as she noticed David's eyes drift to the next set of staircases. She lunged forward towards him, taking him by his hand and guiding him upstairs. 

The third floor was different to the others, it appeared to only have one room, which was separated from the staircase by ornate double doors, that had been dusted and cleaned. The wood was dark, and beautiful, with small figurines carved into the frame. Her small body rushed over to the doors, her hands grabbing the handles, attempting to turn them and reveal her partners surprise. Despite her efforts, the heavy doors would not budge, they stood static in front of her, keeping David's secrets locked away from her. Gillian turned to face him, her eyes pleading. 

He took long strides towards her, motioning for her to hold out her hand, all the while staying completely silent, a neutral expression on his face. Her hand lay in front of her, palm flat, and eyes closed. Suddenly, she felt something cold and metallic press against her fingers. She opened one eye to reveal a key. It was brass, with a delicate pattern cut into the tarnished metal. Apprehensively, she slipped it into the door, turning the lock and hearing the faint click as she unlocked it. With a little help from David, she pushed the door open.

Gillian's hands swung down to her sides lifelessly as her jaw dropped slightly. His hands slid around her waist as she took a deep breath. In front of them was a single table, decorated with a crisp white tablecloth, and on it were various cups and saucers, and a display case piled high with scones and cakes. She took tentative steps towards the set up and examined the effort he must have gone through to do this. The table stood before a large window, that had also been cleaned, which showed a clear view of the rooftops of enigmatic London. She fell in love with that view in an instant, and a part of her could not bear to tear herself away from it, but she bolted back to David, her smile stretched across her cheeks. He held out his hands and bent his legs slightly, so the jump into his arms would not have been an impossible feat for Gillian. Her weight was suddenly lifted as he spun her around the room, his eyes fixed permanently on her, his smile brandishing all his pearly white teeth. She gazed back, overcome with emotion over his gesture. A single tear fell from her right eye. David remembered an article he had read once, on how if a tear rolled from the right eye first, then it was a tear of happiness. His heart sighed with relief as his thumb wiped away the salty water dripping down her cheek.

"I believe you British call it an afternoon tea." Her lips crashed against his, and she could feel him smile underneath their contact. They swayed to the music of their own thoughts, Gillian still wrapped up in his arms, lifted up into the air. Her legs bent around his back as their kiss deepened. She explored his mouth just as she had with this house, as if it were something new and exciting. In many ways it was, this was something that she had not shared with David before. They had kissed and had sex, but they had never been on a date, not like this. It was a side of him that she never knew existed, but now she had witnessed it, she only wanted to know more about it. Her hands found their way into his hair, roughing up his parting a little, and pulling slightly as his tongue brushed against hers.

Finally she felt herself be lowered down onto something cold and soft. She had been so absorbed by their lunch together and the excitement of finding it, that she was oblivious to a small salmon pink couch that was placed against the west wall. She let herself lie down partly, with David sitting at her feet, although his body was bent over hers, kissing her rosy cheeks. His nose nuzzled itself into her neck as their fingers locked together, their bodies pressed against each other. She could feel a knot tighten in the pit of her stomach, but chose to ignore it, this was neither the time or the place. Planting one more firm kiss on his lips, she sat upright, urging his body to do the same.

It took the couple a while to regain their breath, their foreheads pressed together in silent contemplation. Their eyes stared at each other, glancing at the souls they saw behind the blue-hazel masks, taking notes on the emotions they saw hidden away there. "This is all so wonderful David..." She paused again to draw a deep breath. "The house. The food." She looked around at the room she sat in, fully taking it all in before returning her lovers gaze. "You." A hand held his chin affectionately and squeezed, before caressing his smooth jawline. "You shaved for me...."

Taking her hand in his and bringing the knuckles to his lips he whispered "I thought you'd like it." 

"I do." She gave a loving smile that reassured David in the belief that he had made the right choice. An unspoken bond formed between the two as their eyes searched each other's. It was a bond of love, one that they had thought of many years in advance. Neither of them had felt this way about anyone in a long time, and it crossed David's mind that maybe it was because he'd always felt that way for her. They could feel themselves fall deeper and deeper into the unspoken bond, to the point where they would drown each other in their comfortable silence, not being able to surface from the suffocating truth of their love. "Now are you going to let me eat or are we going to sit here staring at each other all day?" Her voice had a hint of amusement in it, trying to make light of the deep emotional situation they found themselves in. 

Shaking his head as if physically ridding his mind of all thoughts, David stood up and lead Gillian over to her seat, pulling the chair out from under the table and waiting until she was seated before tucking her in slightly and returning to his own place. He motioned with his hand to the platter before them. "Enjoy Gilly."

She felt her cheeks redden as his persistent use of her nickname made her blush. She inspected the small cakes and triangle sandwiches before her, she was positive he hadn't cooked these himself, as she knew that David wasn't the most capable of people in the kitchen, but the fact he took the time out to find someone who was warmed her heart immensely. Picking up a scone from the top shelve of their cake display unit, she tore it in half and spread generous amounts of jam and clotted cream over each piece whilst David poured them both a cup of tea from a china teapot he'd sourced from god knows where. He was the first to strike up conversation, as Gillian was happily munching on her cake. 

"You were brilliant in streetcar last night Gilly. I didn't really have chance to tell you how amazing you are as Blanche. It's like you were born to play her babe. And that accent is so sweet." She sat and watched intently, covering her mouth with her hand in order to save face from the rather too larger helping she had of Eaton Mess. "I'd never seen you do such an amazing performance. It was truly astounding. I was so proud of you." His hand reached up to cheek, moving away hers from her mouth and brushing away some crumbs from the corner of her lips. "You don't have to do that with me Gilly, we used to have burger eating contests, so don't worry about not looking pretty. You're always pretty to me." He added the last part on after careful consideration and a long pause.

"You're being very complimentary today." She stretched out her hand to meet his in the middle fog the table, her thumb slowly rubbing his skin in long, drawn out circular motions. Her free hand reached for her tea as he replied.

"Why shouldn't I be? I've known you long enough to know I didn't compliment you as much as I should have. I never told you that I thought you were beautiful so many times. I tried to stop myself from congratulating you after a good take... All because I was trying to protect some form of beautiful platonic friendship we had. Little did I know I could have an even more beautiful romantic relationship with you."

She took a large gulp of her tea and swallowed with thought. "You think we are in a relationship? Or at least ready for that?" Their fingers remained entwined together, as they picked at their salmon sandwiches.

"I think it's certainly something I'd want to look forward to in the future." His eyes were serious, but full of love and concern.

"David we live on two different continents. We've both got schedules which means we're as busy as hell, moving around everywhere doing everything." A small spark left his eyes as his face drooped a little into his food. Sensing his sadness she added "That's not to say I don't want it David. I want it. I just don't want to try this in a rush and ruin it. If we want to do this we have to do it right, and I just don't know if we can pull it off at the moment." She took another swig of her tea. "Maybe in the future, when we've both managed to calm down our schedules. Then we can give it a go, hm?" Her thumb remained rubbing his hand affectionately, even though she could feel his muscles tense as he was ready to withdraw from the contact.

"But what if there isn't a future Gillian. What if we keep putting this off forever, like we've always done. We did this 20 years ago and I don't want it to happen again. I already missed out on the chance of having kids with you, and I am not going to miss out on having you by my side for the rest of my life." His voice showcased the confidence that his eyes lacked. He spoke smoothly, but his hand was now urgently trying to free itself from her grip. She weakened her contact so his fingers slipped out of hers, and his hands came to rest in his lap. Her arm still lay across the table, aching for the comfort of his touch.

"I want this David. I want me and you. I want a relationship. I'm just thinking practically. Can we do this? Can I do this? Can you do this? We've been through a lot of shit over the years David, it's not as easy as you're making it out to be. We still have a lot of things we need to talk about..." Her eyes drifted a little to her left, and somehow he knew she was talking about those awkward years, where even the sight of each other would have brought on a bad mood.

"We were overworked. We're not anymore Gilly. Yes there's been a whole lot of shit between us, but if anything, it's brought me closer to you. You saw me at my worst, and I saw you at your worst too, and yet, after every sour word we had to say to each other, I knew deep down you were still my friend. I knew you'd still be there for me. And I'd like to think you knew that I'd be there for you too."

She nodded her head limply. "Of course I knew that. David you know me better than anyone. Surely you can understand why I might be a little hesitant to do this. I have younger kids than you David. I don't want to screw up their childhoods with another failed relationship. They look up to you David, I don't want that to change."

"What makes you so sure our relationship would fail?" His voice was shaky, not too sure whether he wanted to hear the answer to that question or not.

"You know how I am in relationships David. I'm shit. You're so special to me, I don't want to lose you because I'm an unbearable prick to be in a relationship with." 

His hand rushed to grab hers again, this time giving it an affectionate squeeze. His words sounded like melted chocolate, velvety and rich against the musky air. "I wouldn't give up on you that easily Gilly. I believe in you. I believe in us." Their gaze met again, and a smile spread across both their cheeks.

"I know... Just," She had her last gulp of tea and finished off her tea cake, "give me some more time, okay? Let's make baby steps towards this. I don't want to jump into anything and ruin it. Like I said, if we're going to do this, we're going to do it right." She squeezed his hand back and used the table cloth to wipe crumbs from her lips. David nodded in contentment, and brushed his leg against hers under the table.

"Sure thing babe." Just then he quickly glanced at his watch and his eyes widened with concern. Grabbing her hand he rushed her onto her feet. "We're late! I've got 10 minutes to get you back to the theatre!" She spun into action.

"Shit!" Her eyes surveyed the room. "Are you going to be alright tidying all these up?" She paced out of the room, not giving him any chance to reply, racing down the stairs towards her car. She'd already reached the passenger door by the time David had locked up the house. She nervously dashed inside and sat down, not allowing for any gentlemanly opening-of-doors nonsense. David eagerly pulled away and began driving, maybe a bit too fast, back to the Young Vic Theatre. His hand returned to its normal position on her thigh and held a tight grip against the fabric of her jeans. 

"Who's house was that anyway? How did you find out about it?" Gillian kept her eyes fixed on David's hand placed on her leg.

"You know your babysitter?" A quiet murmur of a yes emerged from Gillian's mouth as a reply. "Yeah, well she was telling me about it last night. She said it's been abandoned for years, but she sometimes goes there to clear her head. I asked her if I could borrow it for today." Gillian relaxed back into her chair, safe in the knowledge that they probably weren't going to get arrested for trespassing on private property anytime soon. David's grip on her leg tightened suddenly, eliciting a quick gasp from Gillian. "I was hoping to have had a bit more time with you before you went back to rehearsals..." His hand moved slightly towards her inner thigh, his grip not loosening. A quiet hum escaped her lips, as two slender fingers unbuttoned her jeans and snuck under the fabric of her underwear. They plunged themselves in between her hot, wet folds, surprised at how aroused she was already. Slowly stoking in and out, David thanked god that Gillian drove an automatic. Her back arched against the seat as his fingers pushed faster and faster inside her, his eyes not leaving the road. She bit her bottom lip, leaving it red and swollen as she murmured words of encouragement to the two fingers that explored her body. She hissed through clenched teeth as the fingers were joined by a third, hitting her g-spot with each thrust. His thumb rubbed her clit with slow circles, bringing her to the brink of an unbelievable orgasm as they reached the entrance to the Young Vic. She took a while to compose herself as David withdrew his fingers. Catching her lips with his, he gave her kiss that was full of promises for when she came home. 

Stepping out from the car, Gillian preceded to button up her jeans and wipe the small beads of sweat that had accumulated on her forehead. Before shutting the car door she heard David's deep voice echo through the street. "I'll see you tonight Gilly." With a short grin, she stepped out of sight into the theatre, leaving David sitting in the car, his breathing still a little erratic. 

God. That woman.


	5. Touchstone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry it took me so long to a write this. School has been HECTIC. And I also had a really bad case of writers block.
> 
> This chapter is dedicated to someone who means a lot to me. Matt, this one's for you.

It was late before Gillian came home from rehearsals. She was aware of her slight southern accent as she greeted David, who was lounging in the corner of her sofa. His legs were splayed out in front of him, with a sleepy Felix resting on his chest, and Oscar was sitting way too close to the television watching God knows what inappropriate shows. 

On seeing his mother, Oscar jumped to life, running up towards her and throwing himself into her arms. She crouched down and welcomed his embrace, stroking his hair behind his small ears. He was wearing a new pair of pyjamas adorned with silver UFOs and 'little green men'. She looked up quizzically at David, who by this time was shrugging his shoulders with a wide grin stretched across his face. With a quick eyebrow raise, her attention went back to her son.

"How was your day today sweetheart?" She'd opted to sit down with her legs crossed now, holding out her arms, motioning for the boy to cuddle into her tired body. 

"It was good Mummy! Uncle David took us for ice cream after school, and he bought me and Felix new presents! Don't you think they're cool?" His fingers grabbed at his pyjama top and thrust the material into his mothers face. She drew back her head as to not get hit by her excited sons hands, her hair falling a little out of the ponytail that she had pulled it back into. David watched the two, wishing she would just put them to bed so he could fill his palms with that hair, to twirl strands in between his fingers creating small ringlets. "Do you like them? They have aliens on them! Uncle David said you really like aliens!" 

"Oh Uncle David said that did he?!" She pulled her face close to Oscar's and kissed him on the nose. "Well, Uncle David knows all about aliens..." She looked over at him slouched, her eyes big and her grin wide, as Oscar's mouth formed a perfect 'o' shape in astonishment. Oh two can play at this game. Oscar was just standing up, ready to run and pounce on David and drown him in questions when Gillian took a quick glance at the watch on her wrist. Grabbing onto her sons waist, she hoisted herself up onto her feet. "I think it's time for you to go to bed."

"B-but Unc-" A single finger over his lips stopped his desperate pleading. He was sporting an over-exaggerated pouty lip that Gillian was sure he had learned from dear old Uncle David.

"We'll all talk about aliens tomorrow, okay? But right now you need sleep, and your brother looks like his lights have been out for hours already." With a hand on the back of his head, Oscar was lead out the room. Gillian saw out of the corner of her eye David scoop up Felix in a warm embrace before following her up the stairs. She had always been comforted by how good he was with children and she knew how much his life revolved around his own. West and Kyd were his world, and her heart saddened at how both herself and David weren't able to see their family every day, whether due to work or custody arrangements. There was a look in his eyes that mirrored her own mood: satisfaction, but there was also something hidden behind those hazel masks, something darker. The children went to bed quickly and quietly, with Felix waking up briefly in order to hear a last minute story with voices contributed by both Gillian and David. They laughed at David's strangely spot-on impersonation of an old Chinese man who just couldn't go to sleep. Is this an autobiography? The thought crossed across both their minds in unison. It wasn't long before both the children were sleepy, and David and Gillian had retreated back downstairs.

"David?" He gave an acknowledging grunt in reply as he sat back down on the couch, moving his arm around her body as she cuddled into him. Her fingers traced the neckline of his t-shirt as she breathed in his natural scent. Closing her eyes, she allowed herself to slowly drift in and out of consciousness. She could feel the rise and fall of David's chest, his arm resting on her lower back. He could feel her eyes flutter open after a few minutes, as her eyelashes brushed against his skin. "I want to talk." She whispered, not moving a muscle, but her tone of voice was still concerned. He only sat in silence, waiting for her to continue.

"What do you want?" 

"The truth." She giggled at his response, murmuring his name as she batted his chest playfully. Moving to meet his gaze, she studied him for a while. His eyes were tired, not just from his dark circles, but there was something behind that hazel that was exhausted. Exhausted from what, Gillian didn't know, and she suspected is was from more than simply their day's adventures.

"David you have been here in my life again for less than two days and you have already flipped it upside down. What do you want?" She asked again, seriously this time. "Do you want to try again? Do you want to make this work?" Her fingers dragged themselves across his clavicle as she let out a deep sigh. David only looked forward, his mind racing. She let him think, and they sat in a comfortable silence for a few minutes before he finally spoke.

"A wise woman once said, 'The best relationships are often the ones rooted in friendship. One day you look at the person and you see something more than you did the night before...'" He looked down at her, hoping his X-Files quote wasn't lost on her. "'Like a switch has been flicked somewhere...'" He cupped her chin and brought her a little closer to his lips. "'And the person who was just a friend is suddenly the only person you can imagine yourself with.' I believe in that. I believe in us. I believe we've been through too much shit in our lives to deny ourselves a chance of happiness." He searched her eyes for a sign that he should stop, but found none, so carried on. "Gillian, I know we had our rough times. There were times when I could not even stand your presence, and I know you felt the same. But the truth is, I knew you were always there for me. And Gilly, I was always there for you baby-" He paused slightly to choke back a sob. "I've made some mistakes. Hell, I've made lots. And screwing things up with you when you were the only person who believed in me is the one I regret the most... Gillian I haven't been sure of many things in my life, but there is one thing I am sure of. And that is... from the moment I met you and ran through those shitty pilot lines with you, I have been completely-" he faltered a little, a single tear streaming down his face. "-completely and utterly in love you. And that is one constant in my life that will never go away. And I'm here Gillian because I want you to love me too. I want you. I need you." Their foreheads were almost touching now. "And that's never gonna change baby."

Gillian's cheeks were soaked from both their tears, the water dripping down her face and landing in small puddles on her chest. She stroked his cheek with her delicate fingers before placing a thumb over his lips. Her expression mirrored one of complete serenity, as she removed her thumbs and replaced them with her own lips. The kiss was chaste, full of love, and it quickly ended with their foreheads pressed against one another. "You are my constant. You are my touchstone." They both broke out into toothy smiles as their lips joined in unison once more. The kiss this time was more passionate, with their tongues brushing against each other with each moan. They broke for air a few minutes later, their fingers intertwined with one another. "Make love to me tonight." A simple nod from David was her only reply as he lifted her up into an embrace, carrying her upstairs. As they reached her bedroom, they began a kiss that lasted them the whole night.

_I fell in love with you, long before I knew._


End file.
